Substitute Teacher Training: Managing Diverse Age Groups

As a substitute teacher, knowing how to work with different age groups is very important. TransAct's Online Substitute Teacher Training  program instructs potential substitutes on how to work with various age groups.

If you are substituting in a preschool classroom…

• Typically, you will stay in the same classroom and/or playground the entire day for all activities.

• Preschoolers generally follow directions. If not, they are often responsive to the method of counting to three.

• Preschoolers understand simple differences, like small and smaller, and basic ideas about time. They can usually repeat sentences with up to nine words and talk about what they're doing as they do it.

• Preschoolers feel proud of what they do, start to know right from wrong, and learn to take responsibility.

• Preschoolers want to please the teacher and respond to simple do’s and don’ts that are imposed by authority.

• As their speech becomes more social and less selfish, they begin to play and compete with other kids.

• They will participate in organized games but may believe that rules can be changed.

If you are substituting in an elementary classroom…

• Elementary school age groups will have a full range of curriculum or content.

• You will most likely be teaching math, reading, science, and social studies to this age group.

• Elementary-age students are able to understand concrete operations and reversibility in math, such as 3+4 = 7 and 7-4 = 3.

• They have an increasing ability to think and learn abstractly.

• They are interested in how things work and how things are put together and have lots of ideas that they like to explain.

• They begin to relate more to the subject matter rather than to the teacher as they actively receive factual information.

• They like logic, organization, and memorization. Elementary school students need structure and like expected activities.

• They need guidance as they develop ideas, opinions, and attitudes and can be sensitive to comments from others.

• Socially, elementary students relate to their peers and can usually move easily from free play to interactions that require teamwork.

• They are better able to sit quietly and listen during classroom instruction.

• The beginning stages of puberty are entered, and romantic relationships are mimicked.

• They love to play and use physical activities to develop gross and fine motor skills.

If substituting for a middle school class…

• Middle school students grow intellectually as they move from hands-on thinking to being able to think more abstractly.

• They are intensely curious and prefer active over passive learning experiences. They enjoy interaction with peers during learning activities.

• Middle schoolers show a strong willingness to learn things they consider to be useful and enjoy using skills to solve real life problems.

• Social concerns dominate their thoughts and activities. They experience the phenomenon of metacognition, which is the ability to know what one knows and does not know.

• They may be at risk academically because they face choices that can impact their learning and future success.

• Middle schoolers go through a strong desire for independence, which can lead to behaviors like being passive-aggressive, feeling self-conscious or unsure, being overly confident, and, of course, mood swings.

• They need frequent encouragement and want to know and feel that adults, including parents and teachers, love and accept them.

• Middle schoolers often have a hard time because they feel stuck between their friends and family. They look to their peers for guidance on behavior and expectations. They may be rebellious towards authority, but still strongly dependent on parental values. They want to make their own choices, but the influence of the family is a critical factor in decisions.

• Middle schoolers may sometimes behave in unusual or extreme ways, such as being aggressive, bold, loud, or argumentative.

If substituting for a high school class…

• As you look at your class, you will notice that some students are able to focus for only half an hour and others for upwards of one and a half hours. Some are ready to move from concrete ideas to discussion of abstract ideas, while others are not. They need lessons that help them become more independent and teaching methods that can be adjusted to fit their needs.

• They develop stronger thinking skills and learn faster to get ready for college or job training. Their thinking ability is often influenced by how they interact with others.

• Language skills increase, allowing better communication in both school and home situations.

• High school is a time to really begin defining one’s self and realistically contemplating the future.

• Friendships form and social interactions increase, which have the potential for boosting self-esteem.

• If you substitute in a high school, you will likely teach only one or maybe two subjects, but you may teach 100 students in a day.

• It is important to follow the lesson plan in high school as students are on a time-table for courses and testing.

• Allegiance and affiliation shifts from parents and teachers to friends and peers. Social tasks and situations are handled without adult supervision and advice. Social skills are honed and relationships take on more of a serious nature.

• Peer pressure is at its max and in today’s teen society there are more tempting sidetracks than ever.

Now that you have learned more about different age groups and classrooms, set up a product demonstration for the Virtual Substitute Teacher Training program to provide the substitute teachers at your district with the knowledge and confidence to substitute at all age levels.